The present invention relates to a passenger conveyor apparatus such as an escalator.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in a conventional passenger conveyor apparatus such as an escalator, a circulating conveyor path 2 is disposed in a main frame 1 of the escalator and has an upper load run 2a on the upper side of the main frame 1, a lower return run 2b on the lower side of the main frame 1 and upper and lower turning portions 2c between the load and return runs 2a and 2b. A plurality of steps 3 are endlessly connected to each other by a step chain 4 and are guided by the step chain 4 along the circulating path 2 by a drive unit 5 disposed in the main frame 1. Each of the steps 3 comprises a tread 3a on which a passenger stands and a riser 3b adjacent the tread 3a. Balustrades 6 are vertically disposed on the main frame 1 and on both sides of the steps 3. Movable handrails 7 are supported by the balustrades 6 thereon and are driven in synchronization with the steps 3. A light source 8 such as a fluorescent lamp is disposed in the upper portion of each of the balustrades 6 below the handrails 7 and illuminates the steps 3 through transparent panels 6a forming the balustrades 6.
In the passenger conveyor apparatus mentioned above, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 48-8877, the tread 3a in a step 3 is formed by a die casting of light alloy and the riser 3b is made of synthetic resin so as to improve the design of the conveyor apparatus.
However, in such a conventional passenger conveyor apparatus, although the colors and materials of the tread and the riser of a step may be different from each other and there are various color changes of the riser, the design of the conveyor apparatus is still monotonous and a further improvement of the design has been desired. Furthermore, since the size of the portions of the balustrades below the movable handrails in which light sources are usually mounted has recently been reduced, it is difficult to dispose a light source such as an illuminating device within balustrades.
Furthermore, the conventional conveyor apparatus has disadvantages in that there is no means for definitely confirming visually whether the steps are moving up or down, and there is no means for displaying warnings, advertisements, etc.